The present invention relates to an improved electrostatic recording multi-stylus electrode device for use with a facsimile apparatus for the like.
Conventionally, as an electrostatic recording multi-stylus electrode device for use with a facsimile or the like, a multi-stylus electrode as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 is known. In the multi-stylus electrode device, a recording electrode comprising multiple stylus electrodes is arranged so as to face an auxiliary electrode in close proximity to the recording electrodes, and a recording medium comprising an insulating sheet is fed between the recording electrode and the auxiliary electrode, and voltage correlated to information to be recorded is applied across the recording electrode and the auxiliary electrode, and the recording medium is scanned by the electrodes so that a latent electrostatic image is formed on the recording medium, and by developing the latent image, the information is recorded on the recording medium.
Referring to FIG. 1, multiple stylus electrodes P are embedded in line in a rod-shaped electrode support member 1 made of a resin. In arranging the stylus electrodes P, it is necessary that the stylus electrodes are located as closely as possible in each row of the stylus electrodes in order to obtain a higher scanning density of the stylus electrodes. However, since it is technically difficult to embed the stylus electrodes closely in a single row so as to satisfy any desired line density of the stylus electrodes, they are embedded in zigzags, namely staggered, in two parallel rows as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3.
Assuming that one stylus electrode row is named "electrode row a--a," and the other "electrode row b--b," the stylus electrodes in the "electrode row a--a," for instance, which constitute a recording electrode are connected to lead wires e.sub.1, e.sub.2, e.sub.3, e.sub.4, e.sub.5, e.sub.6, . . . e.sub.n, which are extended from a plurality of common connecting wires q.sub.1, q.sub.2, q.sub.3, q.sub.4, q.sub.5, q.sub.6. These common connecting wires are disposed parallel to each other in an insulating base plate 2 for use with the "electrode row a--a."
It follows that each lead wire extended from a connecting wire is connected to a respective stylus electrode.
The same wiring procedure applies to the stylus electrodes in "electrode row b--b" with respect to the common connecting wire of an insulating base plate 3. One end of each common connecting wire is connected to a connector (not shown).
When a latent electrostatic image is formed, the insulating recording medium is fed between the recording electrode and the auxiliary electrode (not shown) disposed in close proximity to the recording electrode, and voltage correlated to an information signal is applied between the recording electrode and the auxiliary electrode through the connector so as to scan the insulating recording medium.
Practically, the insulating base plates 2, 3 and the electrode support member 1 are integrally made, for instance, of a resin as illustrated in FIG. 2 so as to form a multi-stylus electrode device 4 as a whole.
In FIG. 1, however, for a better understanding of the muti-stylus electrode device 4, it is divided into the insulating base plates 2, 3 and the electrode support member 1. FIG. 3 indicates the wiring of the multi-stylus electrode device 4.
As can be seen from these figures, the stylus electrodes P embedded in the electrode row a--a, for example, are connected to the common connecting wires q.sub.1, q.sub.2, q.sub.3, q.sub.4, q.sub.5, q.sub.6, which are all disposed in one and the same insulating base plate 2, through the lead wires e.sub.1, e.sub.2, e.sub.3, e.sub.4, e.sub.5, e.sub.6, . . . e.sub.n.
In this type of the conventional multi-stylus electrode device, when voltage is applied to the multi-stylus electrode device in order to form a latent electrostatic image on the recording medium, capacitors are formed between the respective lead wires e.sub.1, e.sub.2, e.sub.3, e.sub.4, e.sub.5, . . . e.sub.n and between the respective common connecting wires q.sub.1, q.sub.2, q.sub.3, q.sub.4, q.sub.5, q.sub.6 and their respective floating electrostatic capacity becomes too great to be ignored. The term "floating electrostatic capacity" used herein refers to the electrostatic capacity of the capacitors formed by the respective lead wires and the respective common connecting wires.
Basically considered, it is desirable to minimize such a floating electrostatic capacity since, as it increases, the performance of a recording apparatus employing this type of the recording multi-stylus electrode device is considerably hindered with a waste of a driving power for the recording apparatus and with reduction of image density.